The Battle of Warriors
by Hg03
Summary: A Warriors and Hunger games crossover. First time writing fanfics, but I hope you would enjoy.
1. Prologue

The Battle of Warriors

Prologue –

The sky was dark, and only the rippling of the waters could be heard. An eerie silence was piercing the area, and it seemed like there was no sound of a living thing. Breaking the silence, a young cat stirs herself and wakes up. All her clanmates were fast asleep, including her mother and her littermates. She slowly pads out from her mother's warm, curled belly, feeling of a rise of excitement building up inside her. She looks at the nursery, where her family was using only. Turning her head she sees the apprentices' den where she was longing to go, the medicine cat's den, the elders' den, the warriors' den, and finally the leader's den.

' _The leader's den!'_ she thinks to herself. Sorrelstar was sleeping inside the cave – like den that was weaved by skilled builders a long time ago. She feels a jolt of curiosity about how it looks like inside. Every single cat was still sleeping. She looks sideways just in case. _'Good!'_ she thinks to herself. She might be the first kit to be inside the leader's den, and just imagine what a story that would be to tell her littermates! Unable to control herself, she jumps in the leader's den as hard as she could. Sorrelstar wakes up immediately, her claws unsheathing and baring her teeth. "I'm here! " she meows out loud. She looks at the kit in front of her as if she seeing something, and with a pause she sheathes her claws. With an expression mixed with many feelings, she stares at the kit. "May I ask what you are doing here, Willowkit? "she meows shakily.

Willowkit was too stunned to react. She couldn't stop thinking about the alarm in her leader's face. She allows herself to reply, "I….I was awake early, and… I..I wanted to see how th…the leader's den looked like…and well, I'm so sorry!" She almost spat out the last words. Her emotions were building a turmoil inside of her. _'Did I do something really wrong? '_ she thinks to herself. She was staring at the ground, framing her leader's expression right now. She pictured her leader raging with fury. _'What if I get exiled?'_ She tried to control her worries, but the only thing she could do was tremble in fear again. _'Why did I even think of doing that?'_ She wondered if a clan could possibly exile kits too. After a long pause, Sorrelstar opens her mouth.

"The sun is rising now…."she meows softly. Willowkit didn't know how to react to that. She took a look at where her leader was gazing at. The streams were rippling quietly, and the birds were singing. The sun was rising, making everything orange around it. "It's really beautiful.." she says. Sorrelstar looked as if she were lost in thoughts. Then she flicks her tail dismissively, and goes back into her den.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.**

Willowkit stirred herself awake again. After Sorrelstar had dismissed her, she went back to her mother's nest for extra sleep. Her littermates were playing right outside of the nursery. She looked at her mother. She was gazing outside, with a proud look at her kits playing. Then she glances at Willowkit. "Why don't you go play with them, dear?" Willowkit pads out to her littermates, only to see that Sorrelstar was watching them too, with the Clan's deputy, Heathershade. She pauses, but couldn't resist playing with her littermates. Suddenly a moss ball flies at her. "Ouch!" she meows, and turns to see who tossed it. "Sorry, Willowkit!" Sunkit meows. Sunkit was her brother. Then her other brother pads up to them. "Sunkit and I were playing catch. "Want to join? "Oakkit meows. Willowkit shrugs and tosses the moss ball to her brothers. She didn't know why, but she wasn't in the mood for playing. She could see Heathershade and Sorrelstar talking to each other, glancing at the nursery. 'Is there something wrong with me?' she thinks to herself.

She tries not to care about it, but she couldn't resist thinking about it in a bad way. She was awaken from those thoughts when her mother prodded her gently with her paw. "What's the matter, Willowkit? You look worried." Her mother was looking at her with concern. Willowkit doesn't reply. Instead she just flops in the warm nursery nest and tries to bury herself in it. She could almost feel her mother's concern through herself. She feels her mother snuggling next to her, stroking her with her tail. "Oh, Sorrelstar!" Willowkit lifts her head in a flash. Sorrelstar had come to the nursery. She asks determinedly, "How are the kits, Echoheart? They are growing fast these days." Echoheart replies happily, "I know. They are getting quite bigger, aren't they? It seems like they will outgrow the nursery soon." She glances at Willowkit. "Somehow she isn't in her old, good mood today." Willowkit looks at her leader's face, but Sorrelstar's face didn't express anything. She just replies, "Kits get happier in no time. Don't worry, Echoheart. Oh, and if you have time, can we talk in private?" Echoheart doesn't seem too bothered about the suggestion, as she agrees to it lightly. But Willowkit knew that meeting would definitely be about herself.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Old branch for a Clan meeting! "Sorrelstar yowls strongly. All the cats slowly gathered around the Old branch, a high, thick branch that the Clan's leader would jump on for meetings. Echoheart padded out too, with her three kits close around her. Willowkit saw her father, Jaggedwhisker, appearing too. He touched noses with her mother swiftly, and then checked on his three kits. Willowkit looked a lot like her father, with the same thick silver fur. Her father looked affectionately at her, then sat beside her mother. Sorrelstar paused, then started to meow. "It is time we need new apprentices in the clan." Echoheart's eyes widened in surprise, since the only kits in the Clan were hers. She frantically cleaned her kits, licking them in vigorous strokes of her tongue. Their father joined too, licking Willowkit and cleaning her. Sorrelstar purred slightly. "It's okay, Echoheart, and I am sorry for not notifying earlier." After the quick cleaning of the three, Sorrelstar continued. "They have reached their sixth moon, and I am happy to have more apprentices in the Clan. Sunkit!" Her brother raced out happily, and halted in front of his leader. "From this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be Sunpaw. I trust StarClan to lead this young cat to be a good warrior." The other apprentices chanted Sunpaw's name. "Sunpaw! Sunpaw! Sunpaw! ". Sorrelstar waited until the chanting died down. "Nightfur, I am sure you will pass on your worthy skills to this young cat." Willowkit watched carefully as her brother touched noses with Nightfur. And then she called her other brother's name. "Oakkit!" Willowkit stared at her brother padding rather slowly than Sunpaw, towards Sorrelstar. "From this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be Oakpaw. Your mentor will be Grayclaw." The clan chanted Oakpaw's name together. Then Sorrelstar turned to face Grayclaw. "You are a senior warrior with many wisdom and skills. I know you will be a great mentor to lead this young cat." Grayclaw dipped his head politely towards his leader, then touched noses with Oakpaw. Willowkit knew it was her turn now, and her heart was thumping crazily.

"Willowkit!" Sorrelstar's yowl rang inside her head, and she felt numb as she walked towards her leader. She seemed as if she were sinking in the depths of her leader's blue eyes. "You are an energetic cat, Willowkit. From this day on until you receive your warrior name, your name will be Willowpaw." Willowpaw couldn't believe it! She was an apprentice! Tons of emotions were building up inside her like a swarm of butterflies. She barely managed to stay still, and waited for her leader to announce her mentor's name. _'Maybe Heathershade, or Nightfur, or Cloverfrost…'_ She couldn't wait to meet her new mentor. She waited with patience to hear her mentor's name. Sorrelstar's expression was clouded, and she seemed to be lost in thoughts. She glanced at her mother once, and was that a look of sorrow in her eyes? Willowpaw tried to ignore it. After a rather long pause, Sorrelstar opened her mouth. "May Star Clan lead this young cat through her life laid in front of her." Sorrelstar looked determined, and looked at the sky above her. Willowpaw was becoming impatient. _'Why is she taking so much time?'_ She tried looking up into the sky, but nothing was there. Finally, her leader opened her mouth once again. "I will mentor this cat myself. Willowpaw, from this day on, your mentor will be me."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

'What?!' Willowpaw nearly spat out. She could hear the shocked voices of the warriors, apprentices, and elders around her. She looked towards her brothers. They were staring at her, mouths open. Her parents next to them were less shocked, but were looking at her with sorrow. Echoheart even looked as if she knew the whole thing already. Willowpaw tried to shake out the thought. She looked at her medicine cat, Darkfoot, who was nodded towards her. She finally looked up at Sorrelstar, and tried to stay calm, but her eyes were reflecting her own shock. Sorrelstar looked at her clanmates, and continued the ceremony. "I promise I will mentor her, pass on all my skills to make her win the battle coming upcoming." Willowpaw didn't move, she stood there like stone. Then Sorrelstar padded closer to her and touched noses with her. Then she flicked her tail, signing dismissal, and leaped down from the branch.

Willowpaw stood there for a while. Being a leader's apprentice means that she would be a tribute in the battle. She remembered what her mother told her about the battle. It would be hung in every 4 seasons, and an apprentice from each clan would play as a tribute. The apprentice should be mentored by the clan's leader, and only one apprentice survived the battle. The surviving apprentice would be given the qualification to be the next leader or deputy of his/her clan. The battle is hung around the Big Valley, a place where none of the clans owned as their territory. The four apprentices might kill each other, or maybe get killed by badgers, foxes, or other things out there.

She didn't think it was true yet. Maybe she should feel happy, to be given a chance to be a leader. On the other side, she should feel terrified, to be thrown in a battle of many threats and death. She came back to her senses when she felt her mother behind her. She turned around, seeing her mother's face full of sorrow. She didn't know what to feel about her. Maybe she was mad. But when her mother pressed her body against her, she helplessly tried to feel the warmth of her body forever. "I trust you, Willowpaw. I know you will be a great apprentice, and I know you will do your best in the battle." Willowpaw wanted to figure out what she thought about her survival chances, but she didn't want to think about it. 'If I die, I would die as a warrior, right?' she thought.

"Willowpaw!" Heathershade was running towards her. 'What now?' she thought. "Sorrelstar and I want to see you. Come on." Willowpaw slowly got off from her mother, and saw a glimpse of her mother walking away to her father. She followed the deputy outside of the camp. 'Why are we going outside?' she thought. She was sensing that it must be something important. Suddenly Heathershade halted. She turned to face Willowpaw, as if she had to say something. "Sorrelstar mentored me too, in the past. I was thrown into the battle. You don't know what will happen there, something might appear out of nowhere, and you have to jump over obstacles that lead to death if you don't." She paused briefly, then stared at the ground. "You might be wondering why I am telling you this. And maybe I shouldn't. But I'm just reminding you that the battle is never something just for fun, and you should be more cautious, more alert at every times, including your training." Willowpaw just stared at her back, losing the ability to reply. "Understood, Willowpaw?" Heathershade meowed rather sharply. "Yes. I did." she meowed. Then they both continued walking further away from the camp, with a heavier atmosphere between them.

"Here you came, Willowpaw. I was worrying due to your tardiness." Sorrelstar was sitting calmly on a rock, facing Willowpaw. "I guess we took a longer route." Heathershade mewed. She dipped her head and padded beside Sorrelstar. Willowpaw dipped her head to her leader too. Sorrelstar seemed to smile slightly, but Willowpaw wasn't sure. "Well then, why shouldn't we take a look at the territories first, as all ordinary 'paws would do?" She jumped down from the rock and started to walk past Willowpaw. Willowpaw followed her with Heathershade behind. Somehow the word ordinary caught her. 'Am I an ordinary apprentice?' She shook away the thought and found herself walking towards a huge stream. "Wow!" she breathed. The stream was huge, and full of beautiful blue colored water. She could see her own self reflected in the water, and also could see tiny living creatures moving beneath it. The water was a blue but clear, and it was rippling in only one direction.

"You may go now, Heathershade. I thank you for your help." Heathershade dipped her head and turned away towards the camp. Sorrelstar watched her go, and then turned back to the stream. "The stream is the heart of our clan, Willowpaw, as you can see jut by our clan's name. The stream lays the fish we eat, and also the plants that will be eaten by our prey. The stream is the source to ebb our thirst." Willowpaw didn't realize that, and she never thought about the stream in a way like her mentor did either. She just stared at the fish inside, with a sense of hunger inside her. 'I want to see it with my mother again sometime' she thought. She didn't know nor think about how long she was there, staring at the water like it was entertaining. "Willowpaw, I know the stream is such a beautiful sight but we must go now." Her mentor interrupted her thoughts. "I'll tell you about the territory before we go, though."

She followed her mentor, listening carefully to the woods and the water as she did. Birds were singing, and she could smell and hear scuffling of creatures smaller than her. "There must be a lot of prey!" Sorrelstar chuckled. It's the middle of newleaf, when new faces greet us. You were born in newleaf too." She then lowered her body in a crouch, and opened her jaws as if she was smelling something. She signaled with her tail for Willowpaw to be quiet. Then with nimble moves she catched a small bird, killing it with a bite. Willowpaw tried to follow her leader's crouch, lowering her body and tucking her tail inwards. She gaped her jaws open, but she didn't really smell anything. Or maybe she smelled too many things, because she just kept on gaping her jaws open at the sky. Sorrelstar stifled a laugh and started to teach her the hunting crouch. "Lower your body, and stick your tail ahead, straight!" Willowpaw tried to stick her tail out as straightest as possible, and she lowered her body so her belly fur would barely touch the ground. "You must be a born hunter, your crouch is wonderful, Willowpaw! Now make sure your hind legs are ready to jump out, and your front paws ready to pounce!" Sorrelstar put more strength in the words 'jump out' and 'pounce' and so did Willowpaw in her legs. Then Sorrelstar lowered her body so she met Willowpaws eyes. "You can smell that juicy mouse behind that tree, can't you?" she mewed quietly. Her tail was pointing a tree above them, and Willowpaw knew what she was smelling. " Go on, it's okay to make mistakes at first. Try to leap hard and grab that prey." she was whispering so quietly that it was hard for Willowpaw to hear her. Then Willowpaw slowly moved forward until she could see the mouse's tail. Then she jumped as fast as she could, and grabbed the mouse in her paws, claws unsheathed. "Great job! Kill it with a bite!" Sorrelstar meowed quickly, in case the mouse would escape. She did as her mentor told her, and bit down hard on the mouse's neck. Willowpaw stared with satisfaction, and padded to her mentor. "You were really great, Willowpaw! That was even just your first try!" She could sense the pride in her mentor's blue eyes. "Let's go back to camp now, it was a good start, huh?" Willowpaw mumbled a yes between the mouse and the bird her mentor caught in her jaws. To think of it, maybe she was happy to be the leader's apprentice, at least for now.


	4. Chapter 3

Thanks for the compliment! person It really means a lot for me!

And I am sorry for the rather late update! Enjoy, and reviews are very welcomed!

 **Chapter 3**

"So do you really learn super fantastic battle moves?" Oakpaw was asking, almost desperately to Willowpaw. Before Willowpaw could react, her brother Sunpaw was battering her with questions. "Oh my gosh, brothers! I love you guys and all, but one question at a time, please! And I haven't learned any battle moves yet!" Sunpaw seemed as if he wouldn't believe it, staring at her with his shining green eyes. "You haven't learned a single move?" he asked, bewildered. "Yes! I haven't! And can you please get out of my way, because I have to go to the dirtplace?" she meowed. As she trodded out of the camp, she thought about her training once more. She was an apprentice for quite a while now, and maybe not learning a single battle move until now is a strange happening. 'Maybe I'll ask her privately..?' she thought. But she had trust in her mentor, and decided to wait a bit more.

As she was returning to the camp, it seemed like the clan was in a bubbly mood. Cats were talking in groups loudly, and the senior warriors were discussing matters with the deputy. She went to the fresh-kill pile and grabbed some prey and headed to the elder's den. 'I should ask them about the clan's situation, and also hear some stories!' she thought. As she faced herself upon the elder's den, she could hear harsh words from the inside. Wondering about what issue would make them so fiery, she padded inside the den. "Come in dear. Why shall you be here?" Breezefall greeted her gently. Ashpelt was beside her, grooming his mate's fur with licks of his tongue. Speckleleaf was still muttering about something that Willowpaw couldn't catch. "I came here to give you some prey, and I also was curious about the things going on right now." Willowpaw said in a cheery mood. Speckleleaf then turned to face Willowpaw. "Thanks for the mouse, and come on here and listen to me." Willowpaw did as she was told, and stretched her ears out eagerly.

"There will be a gathering tonight, and it is indeed a very juicy one too. The leaders will be announcing the tributes for the battle, so you will be going there as a face of our clan too." Willowpaw was excited and worried simultaneously. "A face of our clan!" she thought. Speckleleaf continued through bites of the mouse she gave him. "But all of our attention should be to WaterfallClan, because they didn't come to the last gathering, and we aren't even sure that they have any young cats to participate!" Willowpaw wondered what would happen to a clan that didn't have any apprentices to participate in the battle. She asked," What would happen if a clan doesn't have a tribute? Would a warrior participate?" Speckleleaf replied with a sigh. "It is a rare thing to happen, but if there isn't any tribute capable, the other clan leaders have to choose a cat from the clan in question." Before Willowpaw could meow a thing, Breezefall opened her mouth. "I have lived a nice long life until an elder now, but I have never heard nor saw an event like that." Ashpelt stopped licking her fur and looked towards Willowpaw. "But it might happen this night, and that should be the reason everyone is in such a chatty mood!" Willowpaw gasped, shocked. She froze like a stone near the stream, and watched the walls of the elder's den silently. Breezefall was eyeing her with a gaze full of worry. She murmured softly, "I still don't understand Sorrelstar, Ashpelt…" Ashpelt nodded slightly, and cleaned the bones of his mouse. Willowpaw heard it clearly, but she wasn't sure if Breezefall noticed. "Speckleleaf, that might mean that I could have a stronger enemy in the battle, right?" she asked, her gaze still focused on the calm walls of the den. Speckletail didn't reply, but instead hurried her out of the den. "Willowpaw, I don't think worrying would do any help. Try going out, the leader looks like she has something to announce." Willowpaw dipped her head to the elders and slowly padded out of the den.

"Willowpaw!" Her mother appeared in her sight. She licked her head vigorously. Willowpaw didn't have any spirit to lick her back. Instead she meowed a thank you and hurried up to Old branch in order to wait for words announcing the gathering. As she expected, her leader showed up on top of the branch with a lithe leap. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Old branch for a Clan meeting!" Willowpaw looked around, to only see the cats all gathered in groups already, gazing at their leader. "Before the news you all expect to hear, I proudly announce that Berryfern will be moving to the nursery with Grayclaw's kits!" The cats around Willowpaw cheered for Berryfern, as if they put their guard down for a moment. Berryfern looked rather embarrassed, then she turned to face Grayclaw with a tender gaze.

Sorrelstar then continued in a loud, ringing voice. "As most of you already know, there will be a gathering tonight, and it is a rather important one. I want Heathershade, Tawnyfur, Cloverfrost, Shimmerbreeze, Blossomfoot, Jaggedwhisker, Ashpelt, Speckleleaf to come with me, and also the apprentices and mentors too." Willowpaw glanced at her brothers, who were excited to go to their first gathering. 'I should feel like that too..' she thought. But Sorrelstar interrupted her thoughts. "Meanwhile, I would like the remaining cats keeping alert of the clan. And for those that would be following me to the gathering, I wish you would be at your best behavior, and be more careful. Try not to get into deep conversations with other clan cats." Then she leaped off the branch, dismissing the cats to their positions and also signaling Willowpaw with her paw.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Willowpaw dipped her head politely as she padded into her leader's den. Her leader's eyes betrayed nothing as usual, and had a deep ambience. "Come here and listen, Willowpaw. The gathering you will be going with me today isn't just one of many gatherings you will attend in your life." She mewed softly. "I understand, Sorrelstar." Willowpaw replied. "All the clans are focusing on Waterfallclan's attendance. They had a terrible accident that I have only heard through the grapevine, that they lost many worthy warriors and young cats down the waterfall during a nasty battle." Sorrelstar said in a tragic way. Willowpaw had never seen a waterfall, but assumed that it must have been a big accident. "But surely they must attend this gathering, Sorrelstar?" Sorrelstar let out a small sigh. "Yes, they must. But I am rather afraid of it." she said. "Why is that?"Willowpaw questioned.

Sorrelpaw turned that her whole body would face Willowpaw.. "I am not sure how they would come out related to the battle and their tribute. You might have to be fighting with a warrior." Willowpaw felt a tinge of frustration. She already knew the fact that the battle that she will be participating in wouldn't be easy. 'Why do I have to get reminded every time? I already know it!' she thought. But it wasn't Sorrelstar's fault, and she knew it. Sorrelstar continued her words. "But going back to the point Willowpaw, you must represent yourself as a strong cat, both outside and inside. You have to be firm, brave, confident. You are the main event."

Willowpaw straightened herself, unsheathing her claws and holding her firm gaze at her leader. Sorrelstar held the gaze approvingly, her tail wagging slightly. "I appreciate your intelligence. I hope you won't lose that pose at today's gathering too." "I won't, Sorrelstar." She replied with pride. "Then you may go. Thank you for your time, and prepare for today's night."

Sorrelstar gave a sign of dismissal, and Willowpaw bounded off to the apprentices den. She saw her littermates and friends happily imagining their first gathering, and couldn't help but feeling a bitter wave of emotions. Why was it her being a tribute? What made Sorrelstar think of it? 'How could I remain brave when I don't understand the reason I should?' she thought.

Suddenly, she heard thick pawsteps behind her, and turned herself around, fur stood. Thistletail was staring at her, also alert by Willowpaw's sudden actions. A meager starling was hanging in his jaws, neatly trimmed for eating. Willowpaw let her fur flat, and dipped her head. Thistletail lay the mouse before her paws shyly. "Would you like it?" he meowed. Willowpaw wasn't sure of his intent. "Thank you…but why..?" she stammered. Thistletail made himself a seat besides Willowpaw, and stared at the ground. "I thought you would feel a bit heavy. I hope you would do your best at today's gathering."he replied rather slowly. Willowpaw bit the almost perfectly trimmed starling, astonished at Thistletail's kindness. "It really means a lot to me, thank you." She murmured through bites. Thistletail gazed at her with pride in his sky blue eyes.

"What are you two doing here?" A familiar voice meowed above them. Jaggedwhisker was flicking his tail suspiciously, with Echoheart staring with wide eyes further away. Thistletail didn't dare see his old mentor, embarrassed. "I just offered her a starling, Jaggedwhisker. Nothing at all." Echoheart was smiling at Willowpaw, sending her proud looks. But Jaggedwhisker seemed as if he couldn't trust his old apprentice, and then turned away to his mate. Jaggedwhisker said a quick bye and ran to his fellow warriors, leaving Willowpaw to eat away the rest of the starling. 'It is so nice of hime to care for me!' she thought. She felt as if a new strength was welling inside of her, and earned new confidence.

That evening, Sorrelstar lead her clan below the brightly full moon, with Willowpaw by her side. "Today, I wish you will do your best on showing an appearance of unity, Streamclan!" her voice rang out. Willowpaw could hear strong replies from her clanmates, and felt pride as being one of them herself. 'It is good to feel belonging…' her thoughts trailed off as she thought of the upcoming gathering. Suddenly she felt a splash of water. "What are you doing, Willowpaw? Focus up!" Willowpaw leaped in the shallow water, and began to wade through it. Their clan had many large and small streams, so they had to wade through shallow parts of it to get to the gathering valley. After some more walking, she could hear chatting from many cats. Her first and most important gathering was right in front of her eyes.


End file.
